THEME: Embracing my Vocation: Quality and holistic education to improve
the dignity of human.
Dr. Ronald Guzman, President, Dean _____________, the Faculty
of the Medical Colleges of the Northern Philippines, distinguished guests,
ladies and gentlemen, Good morning.
Foremost, in behalf of the Medical Center Chief of Cagayan Valley
Medical Center, Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao, I am most honored to
congratulate you on this momentous day of your lives. You are a step closer
to become who you want to be: a medical technologist, a nurse, a pharmacist,
and a physical therapist. This would highlight your journey as student of
Nursing/Medical Technology/Pharmacy/Physical therapy. And today you
will pledge to render service with honor and excellence and to uphold the
name of your beloved institution.
Up until now, the road you have traversed has not been much enticing:
occasional sleepless nights and caffeine-filled days to get you through
exams and lab homework. And perhaps, somewhere along the road you
might have stopped and might have thought to stop and pursue something
else. But alas! You are here today, ready to experience another journey as
student interns. You have continued despite the hurdles along the way.
Being on the medical-related course is not as easy as you think it would.
For in our hands lie lives of people people we care for or people who are
stranger to us. We have to provide them with quality service due to them,
despite the race, color and social strata they belong to.
Over two years ago, you have entered the gates of MCNP for the
freshmen orientation, all excited and terrified, you then took your first step
into your professional lives. You have spent hours and grueling over lab
works and assignments, slowly noticing that something has changed. Little
did you know, you have made another step.
Together, you survived your first semester despite the lost sleep,
weight, friends, and some sanity. And you survived yet again. And you kept
on taking steps.
Now, here you are, taking a big leap into reality. The reality that being
a quality healthcare service provider, though it will not be all full of glitz and
glamour, you have, at your hands the power to change the world. You have
to know that in whatever you do, you ought to do it with honor and
excellence.
Honor and excellence flourish into competent professionals.
Remember that competency guarantees the high quality and effectiveness of
delivered care and maintains the social value and status of the healthcare
professions. The core competency profile for healthcare professions embrace
basic behavioral attributes as well as mastery of advanced practice skills.
Basic behavioral attributes include gentleness, willingness to serve, keen
observation and judgment, efficiency, skillfulness, responsibility and
accountability. While the advanced practice skills embrace skills in general
care, communication and collaboration, management, self-development,
innovation and research, and stress-adjustment. Hence, a competent
healthcare profession must not only know what he/she must do, but must
also execute it with gentleness and proper skillfulness.
But the question now is, where would these competencies stem from?
At this juncture, it is worthy to note what Nelson Mandela, a South
African philanthropist and former President have said: Education is the
most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
I must reiterate to you that in your hands, dear students, already rest a
big responsibility of providing service to your countrymen and everyone else
who are in need. In our community today, where everybody is sick and ill of
differing nature, you have the capability to give them comfort and ease their
pains. Even though you are still a few more steps away from being the
professional you want to be, there is already that silent obligation for you to
fulfill.
If I will ask you right now the reason why you took this path, I would
hear different reasons. Perhaps the giving of service to others and treating
them would be secondary. And the title and fame of becoming that
professional would come first.
However, do remember, that you are studying not for the title and
prestiges sake but for the sake of those people who are sick and in need of
your care and compassion to treat them.
We do not only treat them for the illness they have when they go to you
but also the emotional burden they have. Their sickness may be physical but
the emotional burden that comes with it cuts deeper than you can imagine.
Our vocation is to improve their physical and mental status, hence,
you, or rather we, must be sensitive to their needs.
(insert anecdotes)
In conclusion, and reiteration, the caps, pins and needle must not be
taken lightly. What these things mean to you is what the soldier's uniform
means to him. It means you have become a member of one of the noblest
professions and have subscribed to its ideals of service. You are no longer
merely an individual responsible for his/her own acts, you are part of these
healthcare professions.
